Just wondering if anyone can recall who are top recruits have been over the last 20 years and if any have been 4 stars (or 5 stars)?  I saw c/o 2025 Four Star Gevonte Ware has put us in his final 4 schools along with Wake, DePaul, and Rutgers which inspired this question. When's the last time we've had legit, verifiable interest from a 4 star recruit? 

CalDuke wrote:

 IMHO...
The fact that LeBron lost tonight, should benefit us, getting a sooner-than-later response from Bronny.

GO Dukes !!!
 

He was also non-comital when asked if he would be with the Lakers next season. I think there's a real chance he leaves LA and if he does I think a return to Cleveland would be among the most likely destinations. If that happens then Cleveland's close proximity to Pittsburgh becomes a factor as well...

Using the cryptic chalk toss to announce this was stupid because this is exciting and should be the only thing people are thinking about and now its slightly disappointing when it shouldn't be

stew wrote:

I think Bronny is going pro, his dad is pushing this.A year at Duquesne. would be a good choice.Bronny
has a limited time in basketball.A college degree allows him to make a lot of choices in his life after basketball. 
 2 or 3 years with Lakers and then what? 

I think he was but as Windy said in the interview, LeBron is no longer pushing the idea of playing with his son like he was before, likely because he knows Bronny isn't a sure thing nba player and doesn't want to push him into the nba only to have him be out of a job in 2 years when LeBron retires. 

LeBron has a big ego and their are things about him that I find annoying, but I do believe he genuinely cares for his kids and wants whats best for them. I think he sees that forcing him into the league so they can play together for a year or 2 would essentially be stealing Bronny's college career and any chance at a real nba career from him and would be basically turning him into a prop for his own legacy. 

I was not a fan of the Duke costume mascot but he's preferable to the lion which is like the most generic version of inspired animal duke that they could have went with...tone, color, animal just don't work for me...the JMU Duke is far superior sadly (bulldog with king crown is pretty hard to beat)...If they want to go with an animal they need to thread a needle between interesting/unique/cool while not being too goofy or out there...the current lion is not that...A lion isn't a bad choice for royal animal but it feels too forced. I'm good with going back to the Duke but feel like it needs a bit of a redesign as well...nothing modern though...it should be royal/regal like that JMU dog. 

I kind of dig these dukes from the 60s-70s...they're maybe a little too butler-ish but it has so much more character to it then the current Duke...

https://www.sportslogos.net/logos/view/66495671966/Duquesne_Dukes/1966/Primary_Logo

 

Wouldn't be surprised to see Cam Joyce join the staff at some point

I don't know when he followed him and he could know him from past AAU days, but he only follows 970 people...haven't gotten through the rest to see who else from Duquense he's following...

townsonkid wrote:

How good of a player is he?   IDC if he sold out PPG if we lose games.   4.5ppg at USC doesnt create a warm and fuzzy feeling.   I know he was a freshman, and assume he'll take a big step up, and would love it here.   But for one year, how much could he accomplish, anywhere?   Can he lead us back the NCAAs with Big Dave and Necas?

Well he certainly wasn't as good as he was expected to be as a freshman but some things to consider:

1) He did almost die before the season started. How much does that factor into his disappointing season idk but it certainly is worth remembering

2) He might not be freshman lottery pick good but plenty of good college players and A10 players have similar lack of production as freshman. Jimmy Clarke averaged 2ppg his freshman year; Ace Baldwin average 6ppg his FR year; Yuri Collins 5ppg FR; James Bishop 2ppg FR

3) USC has had the 3rd and 7th best recruiting classes the past 2 seasons so he was surrounded by top talent that could be overshadowing and impeding him from playing at his full potential as a freshman 

4) If Bronny comes he isn't coming alone so even if he isn't the guy to lead us back to the NCAAs, that doesn't mean that guy isn't coming with him or because of him or because of the NIL opportunities he brings
 

Let me start by saying that I would not put money on this happening (yet) and I don't mean to falsely get others hopes up, but I do want to layout the case for why Bronny James transferring to Duquesne and why there might be some smoke here

I want to start with yesterday's events because its the first time I actually believed that this could happen.

So yesterday evening a legitimate cbb reporter tweets that Bronny has entered the pool. This story immediately goes viral, gets picked up by aggregators, and becomes the #1 trending topic for the entire night. For the next few hours no other reporter confirms or denies the report. Eventually the reporter deletes the tweet and says it is just his guess and not his report. 

This could be where the story ends. However, LeBron actually does address the story in a post game press conference. You can watch the video here https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1775351553374757333?s=20
Some notes on the video:

1) LeBron does not actually deny that Bronny might enter the portal, he just says he doesn't know where that report came from

2) his follow up is that Bronny has to make some tough decisions and that he'll support those decisions

So while Bronny is not yet in the portal, you really don't get the sense that its a final decision. LeBron essentially tells us that Bronny has to and is thinking about his future and where he will play. 

The next part is why I'm starting to consider the possibility that there's smoke to this fire:

So after LeBron 1) Acknowledges this top story of the night (Bronny potentially transferring) and 2) essentially says Bronny has some tough decisions about his future that he needs to make right now, what does he do? He quotes tweets a Duquense BBall tweet that says "Family is Everything" containing a pic of Dru and his family with "IT SURE IS!!!! "

This is important for a couple reasons:
1) As stated above, LeBron has acknowledged the story about Bronny transfer